Papillomavirus L2 protein

Abstract

The L2 protein of papillomavirus (particularly BPV-2 and BPV-4) has been cloned as a fusion protein with beta-galactosi-dase and GST; both as the whole protein and as fragments. Vaccination of calves is found to have both a prophylactic effect in tumor prevention and a therapeutic effect in tumor regression.

1 . A pharmaceutical formulation for the prophylaxis or therapy of papillomavirus tumours, which comprises papillomavirus L2 protein or prophylactically or therapeutically effective fragment thereof in admixture with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
     
     
         2 . A formulation according to  claim 1  wherein the L2 protein is a bovine papillomavirus BPV-2 protein or fragment thereof.  
     
     
         3 . A formulation according to  claim 2  wherein the L2 protein fragment comprises substantially amino acids 90 to 467.  
     
     
         4 . A formulation according to  claim 1  wherein the L2 protein is a bovine papillomavirus BPV-4 protein or fragment thereof.  
     
     
         5 . A formulation according to  claim 1  in the form of an injectable formulation, wherein the carrier is a pharmaceutically acceptable injection vehicle.  
     
     
         6 . A formulation according to  claim 5  which further comprises an adjuvant.  
     
     
         7 . A formulation according to  claim 1  wherein the L2 protein is present in the form of a fusion protein with a different co-protein.  
     
     
         8 . A formulation according to  claim 7  wherein the co-protein in the L2 fusion protein is beta-galactosidase.  
     
     
         9 . A formulation ac cording to  claim 7  wherein the co-protein is glutathione S-transferase (GST).  
     
     
         10 . A formulation according to  claim 1  which further comprises papillomavirus E7 protein or effective fragment thereof.  
     
     
         11 . A formulation according to  claim 1  wherein the L2 protein or fragment thereof is produced by recombinant DNA techniques.  
     
     
         12 . A transformed bacterial cell producing recombinant L2 protein or therapeutically effective fragment thereof.  
     
     
         13 . Use of papillomavirus L2 protein or effective fragment thereof in medicine for the prophylaxis or therapy of papillomavirus tumours.  
     
     
         14 . Use of papillomavirus L2 protein or therapeutically effective fragment thereof in the production of a medicament for use in the prophylaxis or therapy of papillomavirus tumours.  
     
     
         15 . A method of treating a mammal for the therapy of papillomavirus tumours, which comprises the administration of papillomavirus L2 protein or effective fragment thereof to the mammal in a prophylactically or therapeutically effective dosage.